Still reviewing GOTAFE: Minister

Member for Euroa Steph Ryan.

Member for Euroa Steph Ryan has accused the Victorian Training Minister of sweeping unpleasant news about Goulburn Ovens Institute of TAFE under the rug.

Ms Ryan said questions to Gayle Tierney in parliament last week about the investigations into alleged rorting at GOTAFE sparked uncertainty.

Ms Tierney was asked on Thursday about the progress of the investigations, which were announced after serious claims of rorting were raised in September, about travel and tourism, hospitality and meat processing programs.

Ms Tierney said the Department of Education and Training was now doing a quality review, but when she was asked if there were further concerns about GOTAFE’s compliance with other qualifications she said she would need to check.

Ms Tierney gave a written response to the question yesterday, which said the department was still reviewing these matters.

Ms Ryan, who is the Shadow Training Minister, said GOTAFE students deserved better.

‘‘Gayle Tierney’s claims that she does not know if problems extend to other courses does not pass the believability test,’’ Ms Ryan said.

‘‘If it is true that she does not know more after two months then she is not fit to be the training minister.’’

She wanted the minister to release any reviews it had already done into GOTAFE, which so far had been internal.